Bezos steps down, India vs. Rihanna, spinach emails

Plus: ExxonMobil would like you to think it’s a climate champion. [Quartz]( Sponsored by Good morning, Quartz readers! Here’s what you need to know Jeff Bezos is stepping down as Amazon CEO. Just as his company announces its first [$100 billion quarter]( he is [handing the reins]( to cloud services head Andy Jassy. “This isn’t about retiring.” In an [all-staff email]( Bezos told the company he wants to focus on his “other passions.” The US treasury secretary is summoning regulators over GameStop. Janet Yellen called a [meeting to discuss]( market volatility driven by retail trading. AstraZeneca’s vaccine could cut transmission. A single dose could also offer protection for up to three months, [preliminary findings show]( but the company has supply issues in Europe. India criticized Rihanna. [The singer tweeted]( about the ongoing [farmers’ protests]( but the Indian government called her “sensationalist” and “irresponsible.” China’s anti-corruption drive is sweeping through tech firms. Tencent [blacklisted 37 firms and fired]( more than 100 staff over suspicions of embezzlement and bribery. There are no Black leaders in the UK’s biggest listed companies. The [FTSE 100 has zero]( Black chairs, CEOs, or CFOs, and hardly anyone at the top who isn’t white. Sponsor content by Refinitiv The London Stock Exchange Group just became a data powerhouse. By acquiring Refinitiv, LSEG is now a global, multi-asset class markets infrastructure partner with a staggering depth of data. The one-stop shop is open for business—[trade smarter today.]( What to watch for Uber is becoming a delivery service. The company formerly known as a “ride-hailing service” announced that it will buy Drizly, an alcohol delivery startup, for approximately $1.1 billion in stock and cash. With Uber jettisoning its mobility-based projects—flying taxis and automated vehicles—it seems clear that the [company is changing direction]( writes Michelle Cheng. And the market envisions a smooth road ahead, sending Uber’s stock climbing at the news. What else is Uber delivering? 🍕 Meals: Uber Eats holds 22% of the US delivery market 🥕 Groceries: Uber acquired Postmates in 2020 💊 Prescriptions: Uber [partnered with NimbleRx]( in 2020 🚕 People: Well, not nearly as much since the pandemic began. Both [Uber and Lyft will report earnings next week]( giving investors a glimpse into how the ride-hailing industry is faring. Charting ExxonMobil’s earnings ExxonMobil [posted a fourth-quarter loss]( of $20.1 billion on Feb. 2—its fourth consecutive quarter in the red—after writing down $19 billion in “less strategic” oil-producing assets. In that, the company joins other US and European oil outfits, which wrote down a collective $145 billion in the first three quarters of 2020 due to the pandemic and concerns about climate change. [A chart showing the huge drop in quarterly earnings for ExxonMobil.] The oil giant also made a surprise promise to invest $3 billion in carbon capture technology by 2025, through a newly minted subsidiary venture called ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions. Tim McDonnell argues we shouldn’t get too excited, though—Exxon is [still no champion for climate action](. Hygiene theater [A selection of masks designed by NYU to be used in a performance of Romeo and Juliet.] NYU / Lauren Carmen and Krista Intranuovo Live theater’s pandemic survival is coming down to costume design. Anne Quito tells us how New York University’s costume department has played a crucial role in the theater wing’s avant-garde staging of Romeo and Juliet, tailoring Covid-compliant face masks that [double as a storytelling device](. Under hot lights for extended hours, thespians offer an extreme-use case for mask makers, and the quest to improve upon standard face masks serves as a vital lesson in design accessibility. And anyway, theater has a long history of relying on masks. ✦ Parting is such sweet sorrow—stick around with a Quartz membership. Try it out [free for seven days](. Quartz announcement The best remote workplaces aren’t just pared down iterations of the physical office. The best remote workplaces make it a business priority to create a productive and welcoming environment for remote staff. With help from our advisory partner and leading remote-first company, [Doist]( we're in search of recognizing and learning from the [Best Companies for Remote Workers](. [Submit your company]( to our new global ranking program today. Surprising discoveries In Germany, sugar-free chocolate isn’t chocolate. The official rules say chocolate [has to contain sugar](. cc: Popeye. MIT engineers have [taught spinach]( to send emails when it senses explosive chemicals in the water supply. Fake mountaineering news will get you banned. Two climbers had [Everest summit photos]( that didn’t add up. Naked mole rats imitate the queen’s speech. Each colony [ends up with its own dialect](. Pranksters briefly scrambled the Hollywood sign. The culprits said they were just trying to [raise breast cancer awareness](. SHARE TO EARN QUARTZ SWAG Why people love the Daily Brief: “Quartz is concise, useful, occasionally humorous, and evidence-based. What’s not to love?” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! [Share the Daily Brief]( with that quick-witted news junkie in your life to earn digital presentations, a coffee cup, a free Quartz membership, and other premium prizes. [Start sharing now!]( Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, sugary choco bars, or fake Everest news to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by [downloading our iOS app]( and [becoming a member](. Today’s Daily Brief was brought to you by Hasit Shah, Mary Hui, Tripti Lahiri, Jordan Lebeau, and Susan Howson. [facebook]( [twitter]( [external-link]( Enjoying Quartz Daily Brief? 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